Computing devices have become integral tools used in a wide variety of different applications, such as in finance and commercial transactions, computer-aided design and manufacturing, health care, telecommunication, education, etc. Computing devices are finding new applications as a result of advances in hardware technology and rapid development in software technology. Furthermore, the functionality of a computing device is dramatically enhanced by coupling these types of stand-alone devices together to form a networking environment. Within a networking environment, computing device users may readily exchange files, share information stored on a common database, pool resources, and communicate via electronic mail (e-mail) and video teleconferencing.
Conventional computing devices provide several ways for enabling a user to input a choice or a selection. For example, a user can use one or more keys of an alphanumeric keyboard communicatively connected to the computing device in order to indicate a choice or selection. Additionally, a user can use a cursor control device communicatively connected to the computing device to indicate a choice. Also, a user can use a microphone communicatively connected to the computing device to audibly indicate a particular selection. Moreover, touch sensing technology can be used to provide an input selection to a computing device or other electronic device.
Within the broad category of touch sensing technology there exist capacitive sensing devices such as touch screens and touch pads. When a capacitive sensing device is conventionally manufactured with conductive wires or traces, local open-circuit defects can occur within one or more of these conductive traces (e.g., a speck of dust in a photolithography process, a scratch, or the like). If the conductive sensor trace has an open-circuit defect, it is typically non-functional or everything to one side of the break is disconnected from circuitry that drives it. As such, the yield of a capacitive sensor device manufacturing process is diminished by open circuit defects.
The present invention may address one or more of the above issues.